


Up in Flames

by Onlymostydead



Series: Fictober 2019 [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Feelings Realization, Friendly banter, Jealousy, M/M, Trash Talking, one sided crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 20:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymostydead/pseuds/Onlymostydead
Summary: Zelda and Revali don't have much in common. At all. But with long hours of traveling with the Champions, both of them are in desperate need of someone to talk to, especially when they bond over one very important factor:Disliking Link.But things, and feelings, change. And after some time those initial thoughts start to break down...





	Up in Flames

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober Day 4!
> 
> Also, Rito ages are wack? I heard that was recently said in something, that they aren't particularly long-lived?

Revali was positively certain that this whole thing was going to go up in flames.

When he was first approached by Zelda to be a Champion he was flattered, honored, absolutely ecstatic. Of course, he couldn't show it - but finally being recognized for being as great as he truly was? That was incredible. He was the greatest of the Rito, after all. It was high time someone come to realize that.

Of course... He didn't consider that the other races of Hyrule would have their Champions represented as well. Which made perfect sense; they should be, in all honesty. Better to protect the princess and carry out their mission.

But the kinds of people that ended up being Champions...

"I'm just saying, it's a disaster waiting to happen." Revali commented, taking a sip of his soup and casting a sideways glance at Zelda. "I know it wasn't your idea; you seem just as frustrated by it as I am."

"I'm not that..." Zelda frowned, then shrugged. "It's true, the nature of having such strong personalities all together in a traveling party has gotten more than a little... Irksome."

He snorted. "It's gotten downright vile."

"How so?"

"Everyone's just arguing and bickering all the time. Is the king good, is he not good, are we on a fools errand. And Link-"

She rolled her eyes, face twisting into an immediate scowl. "What's he been doing this time?"

Jackpot.

Revali immediately perked up, setting his soup aside. "What happened between you two, that you're so bitter towards him?"

"Nothing. He's just..."

"Link?" He guessed, taking the cup of soup back into his hand, but still leaning forward, full attention on her still.

Zelda took a sip of her own soup. "Precisely. He's just Link. And Link always acts like Link, no matter what situation you put him in. Nothing more, nothing less."

"So what situation was he in, then, that he acted like Link?"

She narrowed her eyes. "You know what... Never mind, I'm just not going to care."

Care about what? From the moment of silence that followed, Revali quickly assumed she meant him being nosy. Sure, he shouldn't technically worm his way into the business of the princess, but... They had been traveling for weeks. They were all tired. And no one, absolutely no one, seemed to be getting along.

That was a lie, Mipha got along with everyone, but that was because she was too nice to say anything bad about anyone. He had hoped the same wouldn't be true about Zelda, but-

"He's always just standing there, completely blank faced, blank eyed, staring." Zelda blurted, mouth curved into a frown, jamming her spoon into some part of her soup with a suddenness that nearly startled him out of his seat. "He is constantly following me, always just obeying orders, never... Never letting me know what he's thinking! It's infuriating!"

"You almost wonder if he's thinking at all." Revali shot back, feeling a smile creep into his eyes.

Maybe he'd have a friend on this trip after all.

"Hardly, if at all." She snorted. "Not for himself, at any rate."

"Harsh words."

"Well, he deserves them." Zelda took a spoonful of soup, lips pursed into a tight frown. "I've talked to him. I've given him chances, opportunities. I've told him to leave me alone, I've told him to speak, I've told him everything imaginable to give him the largest amount of freedom - and to get him off my back - and he never seems to wander far. It's like he's tied to me, sometimes."

Revali laughed, covering his beak. "He does have that look, doesn't he?"

"What look?"

"Like a lost puppy. All wide eyes..."

Zelda chuckled, trying to hold in her laughter. "If they heard us laughing, they could question what we're talking about."

He scoffed, waving her off. "Please, they're all out scouting far too far away to hear."

"Not if you're so loud."

Revali's feathers fluffed out. "I'm not that-"

She grinned. "You absolutely are. But, then again... I have a tendency to raise my voice as well."

"Link is easy to get mad at."

"He truly is." Zelda agreed, sipping at her soup. "Especially - you know the little shrug thing he does?"

Revali groaned. "It's like he has the same three responses to everything!"

"I know!"

"And they're all like this-" he stood up, setting his cup of soup down on the log next to him. "Sad emotionless nod yes. Sad emotionless shake of the head no. And the least helpful, most infuriating, absolutely positively worst possible answer: the passive shrug."

Zelda was laughing, head tipped back, loud, full on snort-laughing. It wasn't very "Perfect princess-like" sure, but after this long of having no one to talk to? It was such a relief. 

"You know," She managed, once she stopped laughing quite so hard. "Your voice carries quite well in the wind."

"And?"

"They had to have heard that. They were traveling that way: downwind."

Revali brushed her off. "I don't care if Link knows what I think of him and his stupid responses to everything under the sun; he knows well enough. Hell, I've let them all know well enough what I think of them."

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

"What's what?"

"What do you think of them?" She leaned forward on her log, soup in her hands, listening intently. "Go on."

Feathers ruffling just a little bit, he smoothed himself off and sat down. "Well then. I... Daruk annoys me. He claps me on the back and I don't like it."

Zelda snickered. "Well, that's certainly something."

"What?" Revali puffed up. "And it's like he assumes he's our grandfather or something. He is, by the way, not. And the position is not available."

"He's at least trying to be thoughtful." She pointed out. "But it isn't always the thought that counts."

"Humiliating. That's what it is. I'm a fully grown adult, in no need of some sort of grandfather-like guidance in my life. I'm doing quite fine, thank you so very much, Daruk."

Zelda narrowed her eyes, uncrossing and recrossing her legs, then tipping her head ever so slightly to the side. "Since we're just being honest..."

Revali raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Princess?"

"Are you actually an adult?"

Instantly, all of his feathers fluffed out until he looked like a newly hatched chick; the epitome of embarrassment.

He sputtered, trying to string together a sentence, hands flailing. "Well I - I'm practically - as the Rito Champion it's hardly-"

"I'm not questioning your ability." She clarified, holding in a chuckle. "I myself am only sixteen. Link is the same, I'm fairly sure."

Still, his feathers remained ruffled. That was much older than he was, but-

Hylian ages. Ahh... They ages differently. Now he remembered.

"I am approximately equivalent to that age range, yes. In Rito culture I am a young adult, technically old enough to marry, though it would be quite the talk if I were to do so at this young." Revali explained, desperately trying to smooth himself out. "Now, where were we?"

"Daruk."

"Ahh, yes. Daruk." He clicked his tongue. "What do you think of him?"

Something he wanted to know, but also shifting the focus back onto her while he furiously attempted to tame his unfortunate feather situation. A double win.

Zelda's brows knit together in a tight line. "I like him alright. He's genuine, and I appreciate that in a person. He does have a tendency to, ahem. Over-exaggerate a bit, though, when storytelling. Not that anyone else does that."

Revali tossed his braids over his shoulder. "Of course not. You don't think that his whole big jolly friendship thing is odd?"

She shook her head. "He's just trying to fix things on this team, I think."

"It helps that he knows when to be vulnerable. It's nice to know other people have weakness... Not myself, of course. I just need to know to account for them." He added quickly; Zelda scoffed. "Some champions, on the other hand..."

"Oh, has conversation returned to him?"

"Doesn't it always?" Revali scoffed. "Champion of Hyrule. Hero of Legend. Wielder of the Sword that Seals the Darkness. If it were a bow that sealed the darkness, you bet my tail feathers that would have been me."

She frowned, slowly dragging her spoon through her soup. "You really think so?"

"Of course. I know so. What makes him so worthy? He's arrogant, just standing there, above us all..."

Zelda's nose wrinkled. "With that lofty look he gets whenever we're all talking and he's not involved in any way."

"It really is like he thinks he's better than us. He knows how good he looks, staring out like that." Revali shook his head. "Me? I'm forthright about it. If I didn't believe I was the best, I wouldn't be the Rito champion."

She rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"...of course, I'm sure most of the champions hold that belief about themselves. Daruk seems to. Urbosa for sure-"

"That's because she is." Zelda interrupted him. "In my opinion."

"Alright then." He blinked. "She knows that she's the best; there's a pride in the way she carries herself, but... I have to say I like her quite a bit. No, that isn't the right word... I admire her, though she isn't the most personable."

"She does have a tendency to get irritated with people like you."

"People like me?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Loudmouths. Boastful loudmouths."

He grinned. "And I don't tend to get along with... What's that one plant in the desert? It has a fruit that's positively delicious...?"

Zelda frowned. "Voltfruit?"

"Yes." Revali sat up straight. "And I have a tendency to get irritated with people who have the personality of a prickly voltfruit tree."

She snorted. "Very well, then."

"What was I saying? Ah, yes. Champions all thinking that they're all that... Mipha doesn't really fit, does she?"

"No, not really. She's quite different from the others, and, well... Lovely to be around." Zelda declared, taking a sip of soup. "I don't think I've been displeased with her once... Other than her attempt at cooking, but that was a mistake on a lot of different fronts, not just her own."

"Oh, I couldn't agree more." Revali nodded. "But is she too agreeable? I don't feel as if I know her at all. It truly is like she just lets other people be the ones with the reigns in the conversation, or in life, and she's just a passive observer."

"Mm." She hummed, eyebrows scrunching into a frown. "I see what you mean, but I find that her not being aggressive with a personality has been more pleasant than irritating."

"True." He tipped his head to the side. "That meal was-"

"We don't speak of it."

"I couldn't agree with you more! Moving on to... Nope, it's just Link again."

"He's obnoxious." Zelda restated. "But I think I hear them coming."

"Yes, I... Indeed, here they come. We should probably seem civil now then, yes?"

They both smiled.

"Until we're left alone again." Zelda tipped her head.

"Likewise... Princess."

***

The next few weeks passed in a blur for Zelda. She and Revali got to talking a couple more times, but more often than bot, who was she stuck being alone with?

Her appointed knight. 

At first it was infuriating. Then irritating. Then...

He saved her life. He showed such compassion toward her horse, teaching her, in a way, how that bond should be. And after some time, she had to admit... She didn't mind being around him. Though difficult sometimes to understand, his silence wasn't haughty, or distant, or a sign that he thought he was better than anyone. No, he was just a boy her age, under a lot of pressure.

She could admire that, in a way. Everyone telling him to speak, to be grand and upright and some big deal, and instead... He was humble. He was kind. He wasn't above stopping to pet the stable's dog behind the ears before he paid for his room for the night. 

So when they were all traveling together, Zelda started noticing all of the things that used to drive her crazy about him were pretty much gone. He answered simply, yeah, so what? Talking wasn't his strong suit, to say the least. He never seemed sure of himself because he wasn't; there was no false modesty there at all.

"I'm telling you, Revali, your judgements aren't as clear as you thought." She restated, leaning in close to the fire. "He's a good guy."

"Please." Revali scoffed. "Link, with all of his silence, has let me know everything I need to know about him."

"Have you ever considered that it's not that simple?"

"It has to be." He declared, crossing his wings. "No one can be so perfect. No, he must be hiding something."

Of course, that's something else she noticed...

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Is he perfect now?"

"The most disgustingly perfect." Revali spat into the campfire. "And look, I don't have a thing against doing the right thing, but damn if if he doesn't always just do the goody-two-shoes thing, then judge you if you dare complain a second about it."

"I don't think-"

"Always watching with those perfect, clear, pretty blue eyes..." He trailed off. "Judging."

"Right." She held in a snicker. "Judging. How else is he perfect?"

"Have you ever seen - well, of course you've seen - but the way that he always gets irritated with us when we're off topic, or badmouthing the king, or about to start a fight? And he'll never say anything, no, because he wants to see how it'll pan out, but he furrows his pretty little brows, over his crystal clear eyes, pursing those peachy little lips..."

"So..." Zelda smiled, trying her best not to laugh. "You'd say his face is perfect?"

"Of course it is. The most perfect, absolutely so..." Revali answered quickly, then his feathers ruffled. "For a Hylian, anyway. Let alone that beautiful, golden hair..."

She chuckled, holding a hand over her mouth. "Then you wouldn't disagree that he's physically perfect, then?"

"No, he truly is..." He sighed. "Captivating, isn't he? Especially in swordplay. Watching him is like a dance. I am still the superior archer, but..."

"And his actions are perfect?"

"Irritatingly so." Revali agreed. "To the point where I can't stand him; we've established that before. Why are you asking me this?"

"So basically," Zelda paused for a moment. "You think that Link is entirely perfect? Because he's blessed by the Goddess, so he's clearly doing well on the spiritual side, as well."

"Well, I wouldn't..."

"But that's what you just said." She pointed out. "And you certainly look at him like he's perfect."

Revali's feathers ruffled, voice cracking. "What do you mean by that!?"

"I mean that every time I happen to see you looking at him - which is often - you're giving him doe eyes." 

"I absolutely, positively, am not, I can assure you, Princess." He scoffed, tossing his braids over his shoulder. "I am the Rito Champion. I don't give doe eyes."

"Yes. Yes, you do. I know what I've seen."

"I'm just..." Revali swallowed, glancing around, everywhere but at her. "Observing him. Because once all of this is over he is my rival and I must know how to take him out."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Yeah right."

"It's true!" He squawked. "I don't know what you're talking about. Seriously: I do not like him."

"I don't believe that for a moment."

"Don't believe that all you like." Revali huffed. "But I don't have feelings for him." 

"Alright then." She shrugged. "I'm just saying what I see."

"Of course. I think..." He went silent. "Do you hear them coming?" 

They both sat in silence for a while, listening. Well, Zelda was listening. Revali? Revali was staring into the fire, with an expression she could only describe as somewhere between confusion and fear.

She didn't know what he was thinking, but she knew he didn't think the scouting party was coming back.

***

Revali was even more certain that this whole thing was going to go up in flames. As he sat here in the silence, staring at the campfire...

He was just jealous of Link... Right?

When he thought about him it was... Contemplative. How to best beat him in a fight. How to be amusing when he complained about his irritating behavior to Zelda later.

When he stared at him it was also studying him. Physically he was impressive; it was impressive partially that he was so cute and unassuming. He was just so pretty... But also a competitor. Cute was his strategy.

And when he wrote about him in his journal it was purely to put all of this on paper so it was clearer in his head. 

This wasn't feelings at all, why did Zelda think that-

"Oh, Goddess help me." Revali breathed, eyes widening, shoulders dropping.

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I'm in love with Link, aren't I?"

"I don't know, are you?" She smiled, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You seem awfully conflicted." 

"Am I?" He blinked, tipping his head to the side. "Goddess, I really am, aren't I?"

"That is what it looks like... From the outside, at least." Zelda shrugged. "You do seem quite in love with him, and you have seemed quite in love with him for a while."

Revali's feathers puffed even worse. "For quite a while!? How long?"

She tipped her head looking up to the sky as she thought. "I only really noticed it... A couple of months ago? But now that I think about it, you've been doing the same things since you've met him."

He felt dizzy, all of a sudden. "Since I... Met him."

"Yes, quite. Why?"

"No, it's... Nothing. It's nothing." Revali swallowed, shaking his head. "I can't believe it."

"Why not?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He rolled his eyes. "That perfect bastard - he's do damn wonderful that even I've gone and fallen for him. Stupid. He's such an annoyance, wouldn't you agree?"

Zelda laughed. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, Revali."

"It's not just what I have to tell myself! It's true!"

"Sure it is." She agreed. "And somehow you're going to try to convince yourself to hate him for it."

"Oh, I already do." Revali lied. "I loathe him. I despise him. I-"

"Hey, we're back!" Daruk announced the arrival of the scouting party, flopping down next to the fire with little ceremony. "Did you miss us?"

He snapped his beak shut. "No."

Link walked by the fire, the light just catching on his golden hair, ha delicate features, making him look so mysterious and noble and-

Zelda was smirking.

Scowling, Revali turned away. Oh, this would end in flames alright. There was no secret about that.

And he couldn't get Link's face out of his mind all night.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at Supertinywords or Supertinydom!
> 
> Requests are open!
> 
> Comments are love <3


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